Reporter alleges that the new ace equipment used for disseminating WX and other data is slow, cumber...

Narrative:

The system for disseminating WX and other pertinent information to radar position in dfw TRACON (D10) was recently replaced with a new system called ace. The new system is extremely slow and cumbersome to update. When trying to access data from a radar position it can take several mins before the information is displayed. When inputting new WX or other information, the system often locks up and erases the new data, causing the information to have to be reentered. There are no alarms on the system to alert controllers to a change that was made. In this busy radar environment it is essential that controllers be able to access information quickly. The system that was replaced was at least easy to update, and offered instant access to all information areas. This new system is unsatisfactory and could be a real problem for a pilot that has to wait several mins for information, particularly in an emergency situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR ALLEGES THAT THE NEW ACE EQUIP USED FOR DISSEMINATING WX AND OTHER DATA IS SLOW, CUMBERSOME AND TAKES SEVERAL MINS TO DISPLAY REQUIRED DATA, SYS LOCK UP DATA LOSS AT TIMES WHILE INPUTTING WX.

Narrative: THE SYS FOR DISSEMINATING WX AND OTHER PERTINENT INFO TO RADAR POS IN DFW TRACON (D10) WAS RECENTLY REPLACED WITH A NEW SYS CALLED ACE. THE NEW SYS IS EXTREMELY SLOW AND CUMBERSOME TO UPDATE. WHEN TRYING TO ACCESS DATA FROM A RADAR POS IT CAN TAKE SEVERAL MINS BEFORE THE INFO IS DISPLAYED. WHEN INPUTTING NEW WX OR OTHER INFO, THE SYS OFTEN LOCKS UP AND ERASES THE NEW DATA, CAUSING THE INFO TO HAVE TO BE REENTERED. THERE ARE NO ALARMS ON THE SYS TO ALERT CTLRS TO A CHANGE THAT WAS MADE. IN THIS BUSY RADAR ENVIRONMENT IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT CTLRS BE ABLE TO ACCESS INFO QUICKLY. THE SYS THAT WAS REPLACED WAS AT LEAST EASY TO UPDATE, AND OFFERED INSTANT ACCESS TO ALL INFO AREAS. THIS NEW SYS IS UNSATISFACTORY AND COULD BE A REAL PROB FOR A PLT THAT HAS TO WAIT SEVERAL MINS FOR INFO, PARTICULARLY IN AN EMER SIT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Attributes
ACN	347570
Time
Date	199609
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar pilot : private
Experience	controller radar : 10
ASRS Report	347570
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Reporter alleges that the new ace equipment used for disseminating WX and other data is slow, cumbersome and takes several mins to display required data, system lock up data loss at times while inputting WX.